Buchalter is pleased to announce and welcome its newest Shareholder, Roxana K. Chamouillé to its Orange County office. Chamouillé handles sophisticated commercial real estate transactions on behalf of property owners, purchasers, and local, regional and nationwide institutional lenders. Her emphasis is on financing, acquisitions and dispositions.

Chamouillé’s extensive real estate experience includes negotiating, reviewing and closing loan and purchase and sale documentation for the acquisition, disposition, refinancing, and development of a wide range of commercial real estate projects. She has also been a lead and supervising attorney for highly complex litigation matters involving construction defects, insurance coverage, and failed commercial real estate transactions. Chamouillé has represented developers, insurance carriers, and business owners in all stages of litigation, successfully negotiating favorable settlements for her clients.

Chamouillé earned her J.D. at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and her B.S. from the University of California Los Angeles.

Glaser Weil is pleased to announce that Partner Robert Allen has joined the firm.

Allen’s litigation practice focuses on representing creators and copyright owners in the protection of their works, including recording artists, songwriters, actors, photographers and authors.
His transactional practice focuses on providing counsel on both domestic and international acquisitions, negotiating licenses and agreements relating to music, film, television, digital media, production, television exploitation, on-demand media delivery, gaming and software.

Prior to returning to private practice, Allen was the senior vice president, head of business and legal affairs for Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and led its New Media Business Development. He represented Quincy Jones against Michael Jackson’s company, MJJ Productions regarding Quincy’s masters on the albums Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad.

On behalf of a major music company, he has handled negotiations with Apple, YouTube, Google and Amazon for song digital distribution. Additionally, he has represented high-profile, major writers, including Prince, Eminem, U2, Justin Bieber, Chris Daughtry, R Kelly, Mariah Carey, the Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Jack Johnson, Gloria Estefan, Chris Brown, 50 Cent, 3 Doors Down, Babyface and Diane Warren, among many others.

Allen earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He attended the University of California, Berkeley where he received his B.A.

Meg Hobbins was promoted from Senior Attorney to Partner, making her the first attorney in GYH history to make Partner. Hobbins’ practice focuses on humanitarian and family-based immigration matters before U.S. consulates abroad, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. immigration courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts. She also represents clients before INTERPOL to challenge politically-motivated Red Notices. She has proven herself as an outstanding advocate and litigator with well over a decade of experience in the field. In addition to her extensive experience with consular processing, inadmissibility waivers and family-based immigration, Hobbins spends considerable time seeking a variety of humanitarian forms of relief for her clients, including Asylum, Violence Against Women Act protection, visas for victims of trafficking and more. As part of her dedication to the humanitarian aspects of immigration, she dedicates substantial time to providing pro bono legal services to the most at-risk immigrants.

Brouse McDowell, a leading business law firm based in Northern Ohio, welcomes Daniel K. Glessner as the new managing partner of the firm. Glessner succeeds Marc B. Merklin who served as managing partner for eight years.

Since joining Brouse McDowell in 2008, Glessner has focused on corporate and health care issues, providing legal counsel for hospitals, physician group practices, dialysis centers, ancillary health care companies, and other health care entities. His experience includes corporate and real estate transactions, long-term care, medical staff and licensure issues, employment, general contracting, implementation of policies and procedures, Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payor audits and reimbursement issues, HIPAA, fraud and abuse, non-profit tax-exempt and managed care issues, contract negotiations, patient-related issues, and regulatory compliance concerns. In the continuing evolution of health care reform, Glessner works with health care clients to ensure their compliance with new and revised laws and to develop strategic models to respond to changes in the health care industry.

Glessner is certified by the Compliance Certification Board as a specialist in Healthcare Compliance. He has received several accolades for his health care law practice, including recognition by Ohio Super Lawyers® (2015-2020) and The Best Lawyers in America© (2012-2016, 2019-2020). In 2015 and 2019, he was Best Lawyers® Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Akron. He is a member of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the Society of Ohio Healthcare Attorneys (SOHA), the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) and the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA). He currently serves as the Co-chair of the Health Care Law certificate program at The University of Akron School of Law and is an adjunct professor at Widener University Delaware Law School.

Glessner also participates in a number of community non-profit and professional organizations. He is on the Board of Directors for the Hattie Larlham Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America Great Trail Council. In May 2019, he was the recipient of the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award, and in 2018, he received the William C. Zekan Outstanding Community Leader Award by the Boy Scouts of America, Great Trail Council.

While Glessner looks forward to leading the firm, he plans to continue his robust health care practice. Glessner received his JD from The University of Akron School of Law, his Masters of Taxation from The University of Akron College of Business Administration and his BS in Finance from The University of Dayton.

Vincent Brophy has joined Sidley Austin LLP as a partner in its global Antitrust/Competition practice.

Brophy will be based in London and split his time between the firm’s London and Brussels offices. He joins Sidley from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.

Brophy works in EU antitrust and competition matters. The firm said he is an adviser and litigator, defending clients in high-stakes matters in front of European competition authorities, notably the European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority, as well as in antitrust litigation. He counsels clients in the financial services sector, manufacturing and other industry sectors on high-profile mergers and antitrust investigations, cartel matters, regulations related to joint ventures and other EU regulatory matters.

Brophy is fluent and works in both English and French.

Barnes & Thornburg has added Misty Holcomb as director of state government affairs-Georgia in its Atlanta office. Holcomb is the newest member of the firm’s Government Services and Finance Department, which was joined by veteran government relations professional Zachary Johnson earlier this year.

In a release, the firm said Holcomb’s main practice areas include healthcare and the entertainment industry. She works in legislative, regulatory and public affairs matters. Holcomb also advocates for the entertainment industry, with a particular focus on the film and video game industries and Georgia’s entertainment tax incentive. In addition, she counsels healthcare clients regarding issues relating to independent physicians and medical records.

Holcomb previously worked in public affairs and as a legislative liaison with the Georgia Association of Health Plans, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia State Senate Press Office, and the Governor’s Floor Leader’s Office and in communications with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Georgia General Assembly.

Holcomb is active in Atlanta’s philanthropic and entertainment community, and works with the Georgia Studio & Infrastructure Alliance and is a sustainer member of Junior League of Atlanta and a former board adviser for the TAG Digital Media & Entertainment Society. She is also an actor with People Store Talent Agency and enjoys performing with Sketchworks Theatre Inc.

She earned her A.B.J. in broadcast news journalism from the University of Georgia.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that 19 firm attorneys have been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1. The new partners are Anne Knox Averitt, Simon Turner Bailey, Brandon Bundren, Hillary Campbell, Anna Craft, Ann Phelps Hill, Bart J. Kempf, J. Riley Key, Ryan T. Kinder, Jonathan R. Kolodziej, Sarah K. Laird, Matthew K. Lilly, Andrew J. Narod, Jake Neu, Scarlett Singleton Nokes, Ryan P. Robichaux, John P. Rodgers, Erin D. Saltaformaggio, and J. Christopher Selman.

Averitt is a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. She has extensive experience in labor and employment matters and commercial litigation, representing clients of all sizes – from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses – in industries that include retail, automotive, natural resources, manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, communications, construction, and financial services. She also handles cases before arbitrators, administrative law judges, and federal and state court judges. In addition, she represents school boards in all aspects of their operations, including employment issues, special education issues, and due process hearings. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) from Duke University.

Campbell is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She represents clients in a broad range of litigation matters, including products liability litigation, trucking negligence, contract disputes, business torts, and general commercial litigation. A significant portion of her practice is devoted to representing manufacturers of products ranging from tires to medical devices to consumer products in products liability litigation. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Georgia School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from the University of Georgia.

Craft is a member of the Litigation and Banking and Financial Services practice groups. She advises financial services companies on a variety of complex compliance and regulatory matters. Her practice has focused on the negotiation and implementation of consent judgments with various regulators and the proactive implementation of changes to business practices that are required as a result of new statutes and regulations. She received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. She also holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts (both summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama.

Hill is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She focuses her practice on business and complex litigation. She has handled matters in trial and appellate courts throughout Alabama and across the country. She has been successful in representing private and publicly held corporations in all phases of high-stakes and complex litigation. In addition, she has litigated a broad range of class action cases. She received her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law and her Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Vanderbilt University.

Key is a member of the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. His practice focuses on counseling financial services clients facing regulatory and enforcement challenges in the mortgage, auto finance, debt collection, small dollar lending, and payments (credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, mobile payments, and cryptocurrencies) industries. He focuses a substantial portion of his practice on assisting financial institutions as they prepare for and work through Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other federal and state-specific supervisory examinations. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from the University of Alabama.

Kolodziej is a member of the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. He represents all types of consumer financial service providers in regulatory compliance, examination and enforcement matters. His clients have included bank and non-bank mortgage servicers, mortgage originators, debt collectors, depository institutions, credit card issuers, small dollar lenders, reverse mortgage companies, investment firms, and various industry trade associations. He received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Villanova University.

Robichaux is a member of the Government Affairs Practice Group. He focuses his practice on political advocacy and compliance, representing clients before the executive and legislative branches of government in Washington, D.C.; Montgomery, Ala.; and other states. His work in these areas includes representation of businesses, trade associations, political action committees, nonprofits, government contractors, and other individuals and entities that are involved in the political process. He previously worked as a political analyst in the U.S. Senate and the British Parliament and served as a legislative aide for former U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions. He received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Catholic University of America.

Selman is a member of the Construction Practice Group. He represents clients in a variety of industries, such as construction, government contracting, energy, and real estate. His construction practice involves the representation of owners, EPC contractors, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in a variety of issues and projects, both public and private. He also has experience advising and managing large commercial project disputes, particularly in the power-generation industry. His diverse general litigation practice primarily involves real estate disputes. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of South Carolina School of Law and his Bachelor of Science (cum laude) from Auburn University.

Lilly is a member of the Construction Practice Group. He represents contractors, subcontractors, and developers in public and private construction projects focusing on risk mitigation and dispute avoidance throughout the construction process. His practice focuses primarily on clients involved in renewable energy projects and utility-scale solar construction projects, in particular. He received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.

Kinder is a member of the Litigation and Energy practice groups. He concentrates his practice primarily in general and commercial litigation with a particular emphasis on energy disputes. He has represented commercial developers, commercial construction companies, and energy service companies. He handles contract review and participates in negotiations over legal terms for several oilfield service companies. He received his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Trinity University.

Bailey is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He has represented clients in a variety of matters, including consumer protection cases, product liability cases, and commercial cases involving insurers, lenders, accountants, and other professionals. He also has an active pro bono practice and is a past recipient of the Jackson Young Lawyers Association’s Pro Bono Award. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Bachelor of Business Administration (summa cum laude) from Mississippi State University.

Saltaformaggio is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. She represents clients in a broad range of matters, including contract disputes, commercial litigation, and insurance and financial services litigation. She has handled a variety of matters in federal and state courts on behalf of her clients. She received her J.D. (summa cum laude) from Mississippi College School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Kansas State University.

Bundren is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. He focuses his practice on intellectual property and competitive practices litigation, including complex litigation involving non-compete, trade secrets, and unfair competition matters. He has a particular depth of experience appearing before state and federal courts in Texas and Tennessee. In addition, he has significant experience handling a variety of other types of complex commercial cases, including employment, products liability, securities, and real estate matters. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from Baylor University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.

Kempf is a member of the Real Estate and Environmental Law practice groups. His diverse practice involves litigation, agency proceedings, enforcement actions, citizen suits, compliance and legislative counseling, and transactional matters concerning a broad range of environmental, land use, and natural resources law. For nearly a decade, he practiced environmental, land use and natural resources law in Washington, D.C., and formerly served as senior counsel on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, where he worked on environmental, energy, food safety, antitrust, nominations, and civil rights issues. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from Georgetown University Law Center. He also holds a Master of Education from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts from Sewanee: The University of the South.

Laird is a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. She focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactions, including real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development, lending, and leasing. Her practice includes representing financial institutions and corporate clients in real estate and commercial lending and healthcare companies in the acquisition of hospital systems. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and her Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Freed-Hardeman University.

Neu is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. He has advised clients ranging from individual inventors and entrepreneurs to large corporations with multinational concerns on how to structure their intellectual property portfolio, obtain and license rights, and protect their confidential information and data. He has worked with clients in industries ranging from sporting goods to alcohol to healthcare, with portfolios of dozens of foreign and domestic patent applications and trademark filings. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Rice University.

Nokes is a member of the Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group. She represents clients in a range of matters related to government investigations, white-collar criminal defense, regulatory and compliance issues, civil litigation, and enforcement actions. Previously, she served for more than 12 years as an assistant U.S. attorney working in three different offices – Birmingham, Nashville, and Savannah, Ga. During her time as a federal prosecutor, she led the investigation and prosecution of more than 200 cases involving a wide variety of crimes including fraud, money laundering, identity theft, tax offenses, and RICO conspiracy. As a criminal healthcare fraud coordinator, she was responsible for overseeing cases involving durable medical equipment suppliers, physician groups, transportation companies, pharmacies, and billing companies. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) from Birmingham-Southern College.

Rodgers is a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. He represents public and private employers in employment-related litigation and assists them with employment policies, employee handbooks, workplace investigations, disciplinary actions, terminations and employment-related contracts. He actively litigates employment disputes on behalf of employers and has handled discrimination and retaliation, wage and hour, FMLA, and non-compete cases in both state and federal court. He received his J.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Tennessee College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University.

Narod is a member of the Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. He represents financial services institutions in civil litigation and compliance matters across the country. His litigation experience includes a diverse range of issues facing financial institutions and mortgage servicers, including lender liability lawsuits and representation of clients in consumer litigation. He also devotes a significant portion of his practice to advising his clients regarding compliance with federal and state regulations. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from American University Washington College of Law and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland.

Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is honored to present the inaugural Wesley J. Fastiff Ingenuity Award, named after one of the firm’s pioneering founders and designed to continue to inspire innovation and ingenuity throughout the firm. The winning team developed a concept for an internal technology application called Littler RISE that utilizes a mobile phone app and dashboard to tackle issues related to the retention and advancement of diverse lawyers.

Fastiff, who passed away in 2017, was recognized for his achievements representing employers and played a pivotal role in elevating Littler’s prominence as an innovative, diverse and global labor and employment powerhouse over his five decades with the firm.

All employees were eligible to enter and submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges that included members of Littler’s Innovation Advisory Council (IAC). The IAC is comprised of those leading Littler’s innovation strategy and focuses on providing holistic solutions to clients drawing on the firm’s extensive data capabilities, unique staffing solutions and more than a dozen technology offerings.

Nearly 40 submissions were entered with topics varying from technology applications to streamlining processes. Submissions were judged on five criteria: creativity, collaboration, potential value to the client or firm, scalability and overall impact.

The winning team included: Niloy Ray (Shareholder and eDiscovery Counsel, Minneapolis), Derrick Lam (Shareholder, Los Angeles), Yusra Siddiquee (Partner, Toronto), Kelly Chu (Associate, Los Angeles), Stella Chu (Associate, Miami), Surbhi Garg (Associate, San Jose), Hovik Nalbandyan (Associate, Los Angeles) and Andrea Ortega (Associate, San Francisco).

The firm also selected four projects as finalists:
– Adding Core Competencies to Time Capture: Jeanine Conley Daves (Shareholder, Greenville), Yvette Gatling (Shareholder, Tysons Corner, Va.), Kimberly Duplechain (eDiscovery Counsel, Washington, D.C.), Karimah Lamar (Special Counsel, San Diego), Bianca Black (Associate, Indianapolis), Michelle Holmes (Associate, Los Angeles) and Kimberli Williams (Associate, Los Angeles)
– ADA Toolkit: Jessica Marinelli (Associate, Denver)
– Application/Questionnaire to Determine Need for Formal Investigations: Stacie Cronberg, (Senior Marketing Manager, Kansas City)
– Harnessing the Power of Document Automation: Dónall Breen (Associate, London), Hannah Mahon (Partner, London) and Ben Smith (Trainee, London)

The Wesley J. Fastiff Ingenuity Award is indicative of the firm’s broader commitment to providing practical, innovative services to companies of all sizes across various industries. Littler is known as a leading innovative law firm and its suite of award-winning Service Solutions includes Littler CaseSmart (the firm’s approach to efficiently managing employment litigation), the Littler Pay Equity Assessment (a technology tool for conducting audits and guiding legal strategy) and Littler onDemand (a data-driven solution for employment law advice and counsel), among other solutions that provide greater efficiency, help shape legal strategies and inform critical employment decisions.

Buchalter announced that it has added two new shareholders – real estate shareholder Faith K. Bruins in San Francisco and intellectual property shareholder Thomas J. Speiss III in Los Angeles.

In a release, the firm said Bruins practices tax-advantaged real estate investment, development and finance with an emphasis on equity investment in affordable multifamily housing projects eligible for federal and state tax credits and related benefits under the Internal Revenue Code. Her clients include syndicators, direct investors, for-profit and nonprofit developers and community development entities. She has also represented lenders and deal sponsors, aiding them in structuring complex tax credit transactions intended both to maximize financial and tax benefits and to have a positive impact on communities.

Bruins earned her J.D. at Boston College Law School and her LL.M in Taxation at Boston University School of Law. She received her B.A. from Middlebury College.

Speiss’ practice focuses on global IP strategies and portfolio management. He has worked in global trademark counseling and litigation, including the development and management of trademark portfolios and trademark rights online, as well as related copyright protection.

Speiss earned his J.D from Villanova University School of Law in 1997, and his M.B.A from University of Southern California in 2005. He earned his B.S. from James Madison University in 1993.

Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP, has added three attorneys to its Dallas office.

The new partners are Bruce Hendrick and George Lee, and senior associate Andrea Perez. In a release, the firm said they will work in corporate, mergers and acquisition and finance matters.

“These attorneys each have significant experience and expertise in transactional and regulatory matters here in Texas and nationally,” said Carrington Coleman’s Corporate & Finance practice group leader, Bret Madole. “Their addition is an exciting development in the continued expansion of our firm’s work on behalf of middle market clients.”

Hendrick’s practice focuses on business transactions within Texas. He has a background as a certified public accountant and holder of an LL.M in taxation. Before launching his legal practice, Hendrick had a career on Wall Street, closing a number of deals for Fortune 100 companies while with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citigroup.

Lee represents registered investment advisers, family offices, and private investment fund sponsors in matters intrinsic to the investment management industry, including fund formation, portfolio transactions, and securities compliance matters. The firm said he has been instrumental in helping shape state and federal rules including the SEC “Family Office Exception” under the Dodd-Frank Act and the Texas State Securities Board’s Exemptions from Registration rules for private fund management.

Perez works with public and private companies, private equity firms, and family businesses on a comprehensive range of complex corporate matters including mergers, entity formation, governance, intellectual property protection, and commercial contracts. She assists galleries, museums, auction houses, collectors, artists, and art professionals with their unique art-related legal needs, the firm said. She is also an adjunct professor of International Law and the Arts at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts.

Deborah Ruffins has joined Perkins Coie as chief marketing officer, responsible for leading all marketing and business development functions and initiatives.

Ruffins, who will be based in Perkins Coie’s Seattle office, was previously global head of strategic initiatives at Hogan Lovells. Prior to that, she led practice marketing and business development with responsibility for business strategy, marketing planning, and budgeting. Before joining Hogan Lovells, she led global business development efforts at Bingham McCutchen.

In addition to her law firm experience, Ruffins worked in the consulting field for nearly 20 years where she held leadership roles in marketing, business development, and sales at Accenture, PwC and Deloitte & Touche. She received her B.S. in Finance from Fordham University.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that Jeff Allen, a senior attorney, and Casey L. Miller, an associate, both in the firm’s Nashville office, have received awards from the Nashville Bar Association (NBA) and were appointed to new NBA leadership positions.

Allen received the CLE Excellence Award from the NBA for his work developing quality CLE programming as co-chair of the NBA’s Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Committee. The CLE Excellence Award recognizes NBA members who have provided exceptional service to the NBA’s Continuing Legal Education program.

Allen also was appointed treasurer of the NBA for 2020.

Miller received the Enterprise Award from the NBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) for her efforts in 2019 as co-chair of the YLD’s Carbolic Smoke Ball Committee, which raises money for CASA Nashville and Nashville Children’s Alliance. The organizations provide services to abused and neglected children.

In 2020, Miller will serve as a member of the executive board and director of professional development for the YLD. She will also serve as co-chair of the NBA’s Chancery and Circuit Court Committee, which monitors activity of the Chancery and Circuit Courts of Davidson County and makes recommendations regarding improvements in these courts.

A member of Bradley’s Media and Entertainment Practice Group, Allen focuses his practice on entertainment and intellectual property litigation, as well as entertainment transactional matters. In a release, the firm said he has handled cases involving personal management and songwriting contract disputes, complex royalty disputes, copyright termination, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and right of publicity. In addition, he has negotiated personal management agreements, talent agreements, copyright transfer and assignment agreements, domestic and foreign licensing agreements, master recording agreements, production agreements, distribution agreements, and joint venture record label and publishing company agreements for entertainment industry clients. Allen also regularly prepares and completes copyright and trademark registration applications for music and entertainment clients.

Allen serves on the Executive Council of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Section.

A member of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, Miller represents clients in a variety of commercial litigation and dispute resolution matters. She focuses her practice on business tort litigation, contract disputes, fiduciary-duty claims involving corporate directors and officers, intellectual property litigation, securities litigation, disputes over non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, and real estate litigation. She also represents organizations and individuals in government and internal investigations, advises clients in regulatory compliance matters, and handles related litigation and white-collar defense matters.

Steven Zager has joined King & Spalding’s Trial and Global Disputes practice as a partner in the Austin office.

In a release, the firm said Zager is a jury trial lawyer who represents clients in industries including medical devices, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, professional services, transportation, food and beverage, and chemicals.

Zager joined from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he was based in New York and led that firm’s Intellectual Property practice for many years. He is returning to Austin where he practiced earlier in his career.

Zager has been named a National Law Journal Intellectual Property Trailblazer, one of the top trial lawyers in America by the National Law Journal, and the Go To Lawyer for Litigation in Texas by Texas Lawyer. He was also named a Trial Ace by Law360.

Zager obtained his undergraduate degree and his JD from Vanderbilt University.

Moore & Van Allen PLLC announced that the four attorneys have been elected as the firm’s newest members: Amanda Carrano Franklin, Andrew R. Price, Nader S. Raja and Nick C. Russell.

Their new designation went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. All four attorneys are based in Charlotte.

Amanda Carrano Franklin practices in the areas of business immigration and immigration related employer compliance. She works with large multinational corporations, mid-sized employers, and small business start-ups on the full range of employment-based nonimmigrant visas and permanent residence applications. Franklin additionally provides advice to employers on I-9 completion and retention, E-Verify, and H-1B and LCA compliance.

Andrew R. Price practices in the area of financial services. His practice focuses on representing banks, other financial institutions, and private equity sponsors in the structuring and documentation of secured and unsecured syndicated, club and bilateral credit facilities for companies in a wide variety of industries. His experience includes the representation of administrative agents and participant lenders in a broad range of corporate and commercial lending transactions, including acquisition-related financings, leveraged recapitalizations, and working capital facilities.

Nader S. Raja works with clients facing complex and high-stakes litigation, regulatory and reputational issues. He focuses on commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense. In addition, Raja serves as chair of the firm’s Housing Rights Pro Bono Project, as co-champion of the Charlotte Triage Eviction Project, and is a member of the firm’s Recruiting Committee, Diversity Committee and Public Service Committee.

Nick C. Russell handles intellectual property matters, with a focus on patent preparation, prosecution, patent portfolio management, and patent investigations, such as freedom-to-operate, non-infringement and invalidity investigations.

Eileen Brown has been named the managing partner of Thompson Coburn’s Washington, D.C., office effective Jan. 1, 2020. Brown serves as a co-chair of Thompson Coburn’s national Transportation and Project Finance group and is a member of its Management Committee.

Brown is the second female managing partner of the D.C. office; she succeeds partner Margie Krumholz, who has led the office since 2008. Nearly 50 percent of the lawyers in Thompson Coburn’s D.C. office are women.

Brown represents government entities, financial institutions, and publicly traded companies in international, asset-based and project finance transactions, government guaranteed finance, and equipment leasing. She also represents local and regional transportation agencies, companies buying, selling and operating aircraft, and lenders and lessors to marine operating companies.

She has served as outside counsel to the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) for 14 years, and has helped facilitate financings for transportation, energy, agricultural, mining and development projects around the world.

Brown joined Thompson Coburn’s Management Committee in 2019. She has been an active member of the Firm’s Total Commitment Women’s Initiative, led programming efforts in the D.C. region on behalf of the initiative, and served as a mentor to female attorneys.

Before joining Thompson Coburn, Brown was an attorney with the U.S. Maritime Administration, focusing on the Title XI loan guarantee program. She also served as counsel for International Registries, Inc. (IRI) when the IRI served as the corporate and maritime administrator for the Republics of Liberia and the Marshall Islands.

She is a member of the Maritime Law Association and a longtime member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), which recently appointed her to the organization’s national Legal Committee.

A resident of Arlington, Virginia, Brown earned her J.D. from Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and obtained a B.A. from Villanova University.

Miller & Chevalier Chartered announced the elections of Ann Sultan and James R. (Jim) Gadwood as Members of the firm. The promotion was effective Jan. 1.

The firm said Ann Sultan focuses her practice on internal and government investigations, international corporate compliance, and white collar defense, particularly the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Sultan also advises public companies and senior executives on compliance assessments, due diligence, risk management, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions, and interactions with external auditors in the context of accounting and financial reporting matters.

Jim Gadwood has a federal tax practice, including tax accounting, transfer pricing, opportunity zones, the non-deductibility of fines and penalties, debt-versus-equity determinations, and earnings-stripping rules. He regularly assists clients with special industry tax issues, including insurance companies, investment funds, and investor-owned utilities. He has represented taxpayers in connection with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) examinations, conferences with the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, and requests for advance pricing agreements, changes in accounting method, technical advice memoranda, and private letter rulings.

Trial law firm Sommerman, McCaffity, Quesada & Geisler announced that Jody Rodenberg has earned a spot on the list of D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2020, an annual recognition of the top young attorneys in North Texas.

Along with peer nominations, selection to D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 involves an extensive evaluation process including a blue-ribbon panel and final review by the magazine’s editorial team.

Rodenberg, who works in business litigation, also handles employment and ERISA lawsuits, personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases. Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers magazine has recognized her since 2017 as a Texas Rising Star for her business litigation expertise.

“Jody is a smart, talented attorney who strives for the best possible outcome for our clients,” said firm name partner Andrew Sommerman. “She earned this recognition, and we are very proud of her.”

Rodenberg is a member of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, which honored her with a special recognition award in 2017. She obtained her law degree from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, with honors, in 2011. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University.

D Magazine has named Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson attorney Taylor Mohr to its list of Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2020. It is the first selection for Mohr, who works in the firm’s Frisco office.

Honorees are chosen based on peer nominations and extensive reviews by a blue-ribbon panel of attorneys and D Magazine’s editorial team.

“We are proud to see Taylor honored among the top young lawyers in North Texas. She is an exceptional attorney who continues to exceed expectations for someone so young,” said firm partner Brad LaMorgese. “She’s not only a first-rate family lawyer, but also has expertise in estate planning, a real asset for our clients. She truly deserves this recognition.”

Board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, Mohr’s practice focuses on complex family law matters involving divorces, modifications, enforcements and child custody disputes. She also advises clients on estate planning and elder law.

Super Lawyers magazine has recognized her among its Texas Rising Stars since 2017. Mohr has also earned honors from the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, making its Top 10 Under 40 Texas list, and the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, recognized among its Top 10 Best Female Attorneys.

Mohr is a graduate of Baylor Law School and earned her undergraduate degree in history from Baylor University.

American Lawyer Media and The National Trial Lawyers have named the Aldous\Walker law firm a finalist for a 2020 Elite Trial Lawyers Law Firm of the Year honor, based on the firm’s continuous winning record in court.

The finalist honor recognizes the firm for courtroom wins in two categories, dram shop litigation and child abuse. Winners will be announced Jan. 20 at the NTL Summit in Miami.

“These are very important results for the individuals and families involved,” said Brent Walker of Aldous\Walker, who along with firm founder Charla Aldous tried both cases. “To be recognized for achieving some measure of justice in the courtroom for our clients is a tremendous honor.”

Aldous\Walker and other firms are being recognized for having “demonstrated repeated success in cutting-edge work on behalf of plaintiffs over the last 15 months,” as well as a track record of client wins through the preceding three to five years, according to ALM and The National Trial Lawyers.

One of the firm’s cases cited for the honor involved representing Stacey Jackson, mother of Dallas Cowboys player Jerry Brown, who was killed in a rollover accident in 2012. A Dallas County jury determined a club had overserved alcohol to the car’s driver, Dallas Cowboys lineman Josh Brent, and delivered a verdict on damages in the amount of $25 million.

In the second case, the firm represented a young woman who was raped in 2012 by two high school football players. In February 2019, a Denton County jury awarded her $32 million for aggravated sexual assault.

Earlier in 2019, American Lawyer Media cited those two cases and a third in naming Aldous\Walker a finalist for Elite Trial Lawyers. The third case involved a $37.6 million verdict against Honda for the defective design of a third-row seat belt that failed to protect a young Dallas woman in an accident and left her a quadriplegic.

Upneet S. Teji, an officer in the Business Services practice group and co-leader of the Financial Services industry group at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., in Chicago, is among the 2019 “Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting & Law” as determined by Crain’s Chicago Business.

According to Crain’s, the 2019 honorees have shown the ability or power to effect change in their role or area of practice, serve as a role model or mentor, and have assumed a leadership position outside their organization. Many are members of diversity committees that seek to recruit and retain minority candidates and groom them for leadership.

Teji is a member of Greensfelder’s Equity, Retention and Advancement committee and in 2017 was named as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow.

Inn a release, the firm said Teji serves as a role model and mentor for the associates who are members of Greensfelder’s Financial Services industry group in the firm’s Chicago and St. Louis offices. He also is involved with initiatives to further equity, inclusion and diversity efforts among Greensfelder’s clients. This summer, he organized a presentation on “Dismantling Assimilation in the Legal Profession” that was attended by the entire North American legal team of a major international commercial bank.

Teji also serves on the board of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

The firm said Teji represents businesses in corporate transactions and commercial real estate matters in a variety of industries. He represents clients in M&A transactions, day-to-day corporate counseling, and the acquisition, disposition, leasing and financing of all types of commercial real estate. This includes retail spaces, oil and gas assets, office spaces, industrial properties, health care facilities, and mixed-use and multifamily properties. In the area of financial services, he represents regional and national lenders in complex financing transactions involving commercial real estate, asset-based lending, and other types of secured lending in both single-bank and syndicated financing transactions. His practice also covers industries that include energy (oil and alternative energy), technology and health care.

Teji joined Greensfelder in 2015. He received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.